Device for cleaning oil-wells.



No. 884,675. PATENTE!) APR. l, 3.905?. F. A. MONROE a B. W. SEYMOUR. DEVIOEFOR CLEANING OIL WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.2G,1so7.

2 SHEETS-SHEET r PATBNTD APR. 14, 1908. ROE @L B. W. SEYMUR. E FOR CLEANING OIL WELLS. APPLICATION FILED sEPT.2s.19o7.

o 1 dat.;

A. MON DEVI() FRANK A. MONROE, OF BEMUS POI NT, AND BURTON W. SEYMOUR, OF FJJCONER,

NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING OILJNELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented epm ia, reos.

Application filed September 26, '1907. Serial No. 394,618.

To all ywhom it may concern.:

Be it known that we, FRANK A. MONROE and BUn'roN W. SEYMOUR, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of

Belnus Point, in the countyot Chautauqua and State of New York, and of Falconer, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and vuseful Device Yfor Cleaning OilVVellS, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to improvements in thc method of and means for the removing of parat-lin, the thickened product of the petroleum, .or other deleterious substances together with the accumulated debris from the oilbearing portion of the well.` ln order to increase the flow of oil wells the customary practice is to discharge a quantity of explosive, Such as nitro-glycerin, within the well atrthe oil bearing portion, thereby shattering the walls and opening up innumerable tis sures or crevices which after years of oil flow become coated over with paraiiinl or the thickened product of petroleum, thereby retarding the iow of the oil and in some cases i almost cutting oil the flow of oil from the well. There is often also an accumulation of sand at the bottom of the well caused by thecaving of the sides of the well, which sand hardens so as to resist the action of the sand pumpi for its removal, often requiring the reinstalling of the'drilling tools together with all the equipments of an oil well drilling outit in order to remove thc same.

The object of the lpresent invention is to provide means for the removal of paraffin nr thickened roduct ofthe petroleum from the walls of tie well by providing means for forcibly projectin jets of steam against the surface of the'was and into the crevices of the oil bearing portion of the well thereby melting the paraffin or thickened produc-t of petroleum so that while in a fluid state it may be removed vfrom the well by means of a bailer, sand pump or other suitable means; and second, to provide means on the-steam producing device for breaking up the hardened sand and other debris at the bottom of the well so that it may be removed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva- Vtion of the steam producing hcater,`the centhe construction of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion oi the oil well showing the upper portion ol` the heater and means on the supporting line for closing the lower portion oi the well. Fig'. is a top plan view ot the heater. Fig. 5 is sectional view at line X in Fig. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the locking piece l'or holding the perforating rod. Fig. 7 a sectional view of the lower portion of the oil well showing the steam .producing heater in action within the same.` Fig. 8 is an enlargedview of the grooved perforating point. Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the perforating valve of the heater, a portion of the casing being broken away to show the action oi' the same. Fig. 1U is a sectional view of the lower end of the beater casing with the drilling bit attached thereto; and Fig. 11 is a plan view of the lower end of said bit. Similar numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

rlhe numeral 10 indicates the casing or outer jacket of the heater which is preferablY 1formed oi' a tube of the desired length which is somewhat less in diameter than thc casing ot' the oil well so that the tube may be easily raised and lowered within the same. Casing l() has a screw plug 11 inserted in the upper end, which plug has a loop staple l2 thereon for the support line 13. The lower end olV` the casing 10 is closed by means of a screw plug 14 which is preferably inserted by means of a Spanner in holes 15. Plug 1l has a hole through the center within which the rod 16 is inserted, which rod has the large iiat disk-shaped lower end 17 to rest upon the sand or other soft material which usuall fills the bottom ol. an oil well so that the rod 16 can get a broad bearing at the bottom of the well. Rod 16 extends upward within casing 10 through a number of hollow metal tubes or billets 18 which billets are somewhat less in diameter than the casing 1U. A number of series of perforations 19 are provided through easing 10, the outer surface of t-he periorations being covered with a wire gauze 20 for the purpose hereinafter set frth. In the upper cud ci casing l0, sup

ported upon ring 21, is a long tubular reser-n voir 22 which has in its upper end thc inlet pipe 23 with valve "24 to control the same, and the escape 'pipe 25 with valve 26. The lower end isprovided with a tubular extension 27 which has a soft sheet metal closure 28 at its lower end in the form of a sheet me tal disk which is so arranged as to be held by a screw collar so that a new disk can be placed from time to time whenever the reservoir i12 is newly charged.

Attached to tubular extension 27 is a second tubular extension 2S) having a circular opening 30 therewithin. A v third tubular extension 3l is secured on to the lower end of extension 29 and contains therewithin a perforating bolt 32, which bolt 32 extends below extension 31 a sufficient distance to be engaged by the rod 16 when moved upward by pressure upon the bottom of the well. The upper end 33 of the bolt 32 is made conical in form and has the vertical grooves 34 extending up the sides to the point. Corneal point 33 is made the correct size to fit within circular opening 3() when pressed upward and the extremepoint is pressed through the soft sheet metal disk 28 thereby perforatil'ig the same and allowing the fluid to escape down the grooved sides 34 of the cone-shaped poin A series of holes 35 are provided around the base of said cone in extension 3l, throu fh which the fluid escapes and falls upon t 1e billets 18, which are su perheated before insertion in the casing 10, thereby producing a high steam pressure within the casing, which Asteam escapes through the openings 1Q. The wire gauze 2() is placed. over said openings in gas or other inflammable may not be eX loded or set on 'fire by the extremely hot ,illets A projecting flange 36 is provided on bolt to support said bolt within extension 31 and also to support on its upper side the coiled sprinnr 37, which forces the bolt downward when t 1e heater is raised so that rod 16`and bolt may pass downward. lt is apparent therefore, that if a larger amount of steam is desired than the grooves 34 will provide the hou-ter may be raised a short distance. sufficient to allow the bolt to drop down, thereby leaving the entirel size of the perforation in metal disk 2S for the fluid le pass through. l is apparent also that the heater can thus he passed up and products of the well down the sides of the well melting ofl'the paraffin und other products' .in 'the lower portion of the u ril alter which they may be removed by any suiteble means.

ln order 'to inclose the steam within the 1 lower portion of the well :and thereby keep it in a supf-r-herlff-d condition, a disk 33 is pla l ou support lino 13 above theI heater which fills the wf ll, LThis disk preferably hun of felt, leather, or some such pliable mate al, which will close the wel?. and at the order that the shaped end 17 and closure 14 at the lower end of casing 10, as shown in F ig. 1 'and thereby prevent the rod 17 from moving upward to perforate the sheet metal disk 28 whlle charging the reservoir 22. A flat bit 41 is rovided with threaded upper end 42 to fit t e lower end of casing 10, as shown in Fig. 8, so that plug 14 and rod 16 may be removed and the bit 41 inserted. It is apparent that this bit will then receive the metal billets 18 as We reservoir 22 and may drillout the hardened the well, the same as though it were a regular drilling bit. In using this heater, the hot billets i8 are first inserted in tubing 10 aftei1 which the reservoir 22 is inserted and filled preferably with hot water, though it is apparent that it ma be filled with steam or any fluid which wou d )roduce steam'. The reservoir 22 is filled t rough inlet pipe 23 after which it is closed by valve 24. The lug 11 is then secured into place afterwhioh tlie heater may be lowered to the bottom of the well. As the disk-shaped end i7 strikes the bottom of the well it presses upward on rod, 16 which comes in contact with the lower end of bolt 32 thereby causing the point 33 to perforate' thc sheet metal disk 28 1pressure of the heavy be used to agitato and and allow the fluid to pass down as above described upon the superieated or whiteehot billets 18, thereby producing the steam from the liquid, or superheating the fluid steam should that be used, and creating a high degree of steam pressure within casing 10, which. steam is forced out th rough the minute openings 19 upon the face of the rock, as shown m Fig. 5. It is apparent that any number of billetsdesired may be used and the capacity of the reservoir 22 maybe enlarged so that almost any desired quantity cavity or lower end of the well. It is aparent that rod 16 might be attached to liillets 18 and the zupward moving billets would operate bolt ment is preferred however on account of the great wight of the. billets. vThe hollow greatly preferred as they rive a much larger heating surface for pro ucing;r steam when the liquid flows down over the hot billets.

When the sheet rnetaldisk bv the grooved point '33 of bolt 32, it is obvious that the grooves 34 on the sides of the /l billets are.

leonie-al point will forni small interstices through which the h uid percolates slowl running down upon t point 33 is withdrawn from the soft metal disk. l Yhen so withdrawn the entire open'- mg 1n the disk 28 is uncovered so that the liquid runs in a stream thrcugl'i said opening. Should it be deemed desnable to reclose the g opening, itis only necessary to press the holt nach. into the orifice in the sheet metal land jso prolong the heating prorfess. ll'ntbs as the casing 10 and sand at the bottom yof of steam may be produced 'within the shot The present arrange- 28 is perforated I e hot billets 18 until' amount of liquid spontaneous production of; steam at the botl torn of the. well the main precaution is not toy deluge the hot billets with the liquid in such quantity that they are too rapidly cooled. rEhe size of the Oint 33 and the grooves 34 may be so regu ated as to allow the correct to peroolate through the same upon lthe hot billets to make the desired pressure of steam within the casing 1() and continue said pressure for the greatest length of time.

In cleaning a Well the well is first pumped as dry as possible so that the steam will have free action upon the coated sides of the well without having to heat any of the liquid products of the well. The action of the'iets of steam striking against the gum coated sides is found exceedingly advantageousin melting the same. lt is also found advantageous to turn the heater, also moving it upward and downward during the operation of cleaning the well so that all parts of the surface will receive the steam jets.

1. In a device for cleaning oil wells, a tubular casing, a removable metal billet in the lower part of said casing, a reservoir for luid in the up eru art of said casing, means for starting tne s ow passage of said fluid Ifrom said reservoir on said billet, said casing having a series of minute openings for the egress ot said fluid.

2. In a device for cleanineI oil wells, a tubular casing, removable tubular metal billets in thc lower part of said easing, a reservoir for luid in the up er art oi said easing, means for producing t ie s ow passage. oi' said fluid from said reservoir on said billets, said casing having a series of openings for the outlet of said yfluid.

3. in a device for ycleaning oil wells, a tubular easing, a plurality of hollow metai'biilets in the lower part of said casing, a reser voir for fluid inthe u per part oi said casing, a soft metal disk at t ie lower end oi" said reservoir, and means for perforating said soft metal to allow the. passage of said iluid from said reservoir on to said billets, said casing havin;` openings for the egress of said 'Huid 4. in a device for cleaning oil wells, a tubular casing, hollow metal billets in the lower part of said casing, a reservoir icoi' llnid in the upper part of said casing, means for'iilling the same,

l bolt suspended below the said isk, a bolt i slidably mounted in and extending up i through said casing and hollow billets to actuate said peiiorating bolt, substantially as l, and for the purpose speciiied. l 5. in a device for cleaning oil wells7 a tul 'bular casing, metal billets in the lower part of l said casing, a reservoir end of said ucasing having suitable means for filling the same, a removable soft metal disk closing the lower end of said reservoir, a pergrooved point, and means Of actuation tor said bolt to cause it to perforate said disk,

substantially as and for the purpose s ecified.

(i. in a device for cleaning oil wel s, a tubular casing, means in said casing whereby openins therein, and

' for Sai( Openings from said steam producing means.

I bular casing l() having closures 11 and 14, hollow metal billets 18 in the lower part of said casing, a reservoir Z2 supported in the upper art of said casing, an intake .pipe 23 for sail reservoir having avalve 24 to control the saine, a vent pipe :Z5 for said reservoir having a valve 26 to cont-rol the same, a tul billar projection '27 in the lower end of said reservoir, a second tubular projection 29 screwed over the end of said projection 27, a

soit sheet metal disk .8 held over the end of tube 27 b y tube *29, a third tubular extension 3i screwed over the end of tubular extension 2S) and having openings 35 therein, a spring bolt Bti/supported in said tubular extension 3l having a grooved point 33 at its'upper end, a rod 16 extending up ing and hollow billets to actuate said perforatingbolt, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

ln testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speei-iication in the presence of two Ysubscribing witnesses,

'FRANK A. MONROE. BURTON w. SEYMOUR.

Vitnesses:

A. li. FURLOW, S. A. BALDWIN.

l a removable soit metal disk closing the lower end of said reservoir, a erforating iorating bolt below said' .disk having aI steam may be produced, said casing havinggauze wire oove'rin s to shut the gases ofthe we l.

7. In a device for cleannig oil wells, a tuth'rough said casfor fluid in the upper 

